March.

On a fine spring day, when the cherry blossom buds in the schoolyard had begun to blush red like the cheeks of a maiden trembling with her first love—I, Nanase Shizuku, at the young age of six, was facing a major milestone: my kindergarten graduation ceremony.

"Shizuku, don’t move. I finally tied it nicely."

"I know, Mom. But isn’t this a bit tight?"

This morning, Mom was unusually fired up.

She tied my trademark black high ponytail into a perfectly precise position, not a single strand out of place, and even added a slight playful finish to the ends—true craftsmanship.

Reflected in the mirror was a beautiful girl who had grown slightly taller over the past few months, her dignified aura even more refined.

A navy blazer, a checkered skirt—and combined with my "ore-style (masculine) girl" vibe despite being a 26-year-old man inside, I gave off an aura that could outshine most models.

"...Alright, perfect. My daughter is the coolest in the world. At this rate, you’ll be able to win over any great man in the future."

"Haha, thanks. Though I’ve got zero interest in men."

Seeing off my satisfied mother, I boarded the bus for the final time.

* * *

Before the graduation ceremony began, the classroom was filled with an unusual tension.

As if this were their last chance to appeal themselves, the girls had gathered around the few boys like Hiroto—not just a crowd anymore, but something like a defensive wall.

"Hiroto-kun, don’t forget about me when we go to elementary school!"

"This is a letter with my contact info! Please, please read it!"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. I’ll look at it later, so move. It’s hot and annoying."

Same as always.

But away from that chaos, in the corner of the classroom—at my designated window seat, a single delicate blonde girl waited quietly for my arrival.

"Shizuku-chan!"

The moment she saw me, Aoi’s face lit up as she ran over.

She was dressed specially today too.

A white lace dress with a pale pink bolero.

In her golden hair was a ribbon I had casually—though with the aesthetic sense of my past life—picked out for her before.

"Yo, Aoi. You look even cuter than usual today. That ribbon was definitely the right choice."

"...Th-thank you… Shizuku-chan, you look really cool too. Um, hey… Shizuku-chan."

Looking up at me, Aoi tightly grasped the sleeve of my blazer.

In her eyes was a mix of determination—and dependence.

"What is it?"

"...Shizuku-chan, what kind of person do you like? What kind of girl would you stay with… forever, even when you grow up?"

A simple question.

But in this world with a 1:15 gender ratio, it was practically a declaration of lifelong survival strategy.

I thought about it for a moment.

As a former man, my preferences were clear.

"Let’s see… I like someone who has a strong sense of self. Not someone who fawns over guys, but someone who’s honest about what she wants to do. And… yeah, since I’m kind of lazy, someone who’s a bit of a caretaker would be perfect."

"A strong sense of self… a caretaker…"

Aoi repeated my words over and over, as if engraving them into her mind.

At that moment, I felt like I heard a faint click—like a switch being flipped deep within her emerald-green eyes.

"Got it. I’ll become your ideal girl, Shizuku-chan. I’ll take care of you better than anyone else…"

...What was that?

Her smile was as cute as an angel, but for some reason, a chill ran down my spine.

My 26-year-old instincts warned me, ‘This one’s going to grow into a seriously intense yandere future wife candidate,’ but I brushed it off as a cute declaration and gently patted her head.

* * *

The ceremony eventually began, proceeding in a solemn atmosphere.

The principal’s long speech, the formal presentation of graduation certificates.

Having experienced it many times in my previous life, I was a bit bored, but I kept my posture straight and perfectly played the role of a "dignified beautiful girl."

But then, at the climax of the ceremony—when I stood in front of the microphone as the student representative.

"—We have learned many things at this kindergarten… From here on, we will walk forward into a new world on our own feet."

My slightly raspy yet clear husky voice echoed throughout the gymnasium.

The skill of speaking confidently in front of others, honed in my previous life.

When performed in the form of a six-year-old beautiful girl, it was no longer a speech—it was a full performance.

From the parents’ seats came murmurs like, "How dignified…" and "Is she really six?"

As for Misaki-sensei, she was already covering her face with a handkerchief, crying her eyes out.

Amid all that, I turned my gaze toward Aoi.

She was staring at me with heated eyes, like a believer gazing upon a savior.

I slightly raised the corner of my lips and gave her a subtle wink—something only she would notice.

'I’ll keep protecting you.'

I didn’t say it out loud.

But when I conveyed it through my gaze alone, Aoi let out a small "Hya!" and nearly fell off her chair.

* * *

After the ceremony ended, we returned to the classroom for our final goodbyes.

Around Hiroto, the usual hellscape of "Pick me!" cries continued—but around me, a slightly different kind of crowd had formed.

"N-Nanase-san… if you don’t mind, please take this!"

"Shizuku-chan! Even in elementary school, I’ll always admire you!"

The ones gathering around me were girls tired of competing over boys—or those completely captivated by my "handsome girl" aura.

To each one, I gave a refreshing, big-sister-like smile.

"Yeah, take care. You’ll be fine. Do your best."

Watching this, Misaki-sensei staggered over toward me.

Her eyes were red and swollen.

"...Shizuku-chan. You really are… a terrifying child."

"What’s that supposed to mean, sensei?"

"Listen. Even in elementary school, don’t make girls cry without realizing it. Creating women who can’t forget you, like me… that’s a sin."

Misaki-sensei quietly tried to slip a note with her contact information into my pocket—but with an innocent, childlike smile, I grabbed it and firmly returned it.

"Sensei, you dropped this."

As I left through the school gates, Aoi clung to my right arm with the presence of a "legal wife."

On my left arm, for some reason, several other girls clung to me as well, saying, "At least until we leave the gate!"

Seeing that, I flicked my high ponytail and looked up at the blue sky in the distance.

'...Good grief. I hope things will be a bit quieter in elementary school.'

Of course, I still didn’t know that such a wish would never come true.

In a world with a 1:15 gender ratio, releasing an "absolute beauty" who housed a truly rare gentleman inside—was like throwing a bomb into a calm pond.

And I hadn’t realized that yet.